Abstract
The value of soy protein as part of the cholesterol-lowering diet has been questioned
by recent studies. The apparent lack of effect may relate to the absence of dietary
factors that increase colonic fermentation and potentiate the cholesterol-lowering
effect of soy. Therefore, unabsorbable carbohydrates (prebiotics) were added to the
diet with the aim of increasing colonic fermentation and so potentially increasing
the hypocholesterolemic effect of soy. Twenty-three hyperlipidemic adults (11 male,
12 female; 58 ± 7 years old; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], 4.18 ± 0.58
mmol/L) completed three 4-week diet intervention phases—a low-fat dairy diet and 10
g/d prebiotic (oligofructose-enriched inulin, a fermentable carbohydrate), a soy food–containing
diet (30 g/d soy protein, 61 mg/d isoflavones from soy foods) and 10 g/d placebo (maltodextrin),
and a soy food–containing diet with 10 g/d prebiotic—in a randomized controlled crossover
study. Intake of soy plus prebiotic resulted in greater reductions in LDL-C (−0.18
± 0.07 mmol/L, P = .042) and in ratio of LDL-C to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (−0.28 ± 0.11,
P = .041) compared with prebiotic. In addition, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol
was significantly increased on soy plus prebiotic compared with prebiotic (0.06 ±
0.02 mmol/L, P = .029). Differences in bifidobacteria, total anaerobes, aerobes, and breath hydrogen
did not reach significance. Soy foods in conjunction with a prebiotic resulted in
significant improvements in the lipid profile, not seen when either prebiotic or soy
alone was taken. Coingestion of a prebiotic may potentiate the effectiveness of soy
foods as part of the dietary strategy to lower serum cholesterol.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 25, 2010
Accepted:
December 15,
2009
Received:
July 6,
2009
Footnotes
Financial disclosure: Dr Jenkins reported serving on the Scientific Advisory Board of Unilever, the Sanitarium Company, and the California Strawberry Commission and receiving research grants from Loblaws, Unilever, Barilla, and the Almond Board of California. Drs Jenkins and Kendall have been on the speaker's panel for the Almond Board of California. Dr Kendall and Mr Vidgen have received partial salary funding from research grants provided by Unilever, Loblaws, and the Almond Board of California. Dr Jenkins has received honoraria for scientific advice from the Almond Board of California, Barilla, Unilever Canada, and The Solae Company. Dr Wong was the recipient of a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Doctoral Research Award.
Clinical Trial Registration: #NCT00516594.
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Copyright
© 2010 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
